Celebratedtwoweeksafterthevernalequinox,TombSweepingDayisoneofthefewtraditionalChineseholidaysthatfollowsthesolarcalendar--typicallyfallingonApril4,5,or6.
ItsChinesename"QingMing"literallymeans"ClearBrightness,"hintingatitsimportanceasacelebrationofSpring.Similartothespringfestivalsofothercultures,TombSweepingDaycelebratestherebirthofnature,whilemarkingthebeginningoftheplantingseasonandotheroutdooractivities.
QingMingJieinAncientTimes
AnoldmantakesonelastlookbeforeleavingtheCityCemeteryatBiandanshanofWuhan,CentralChina'sHubeiProvince.Inancienttimes,peoplecelebratedQingMingJiewithdancing,singing,picnics,andkiteflying.Coloredboiledeggswouldbebrokentosymbolizetheopeningoflife.Inthecapital,theEmperorwouldplanttreesonthepalacegroundstocelebratetherenewingnatureofspring.Inthevillages,youngmenandwomenwouldcourteachother.
TheTombSweepingDayasCelebratedToday
Withthepassingoftime,thiscelebrationoflifebecameadaytothehonorpastancestors.Followingfolkreligion,theChinesebelievedthatthespiritsofdeceasedancestorslookedafterthefamily.Sacrificesoffoodandspiritmoneycouldkeepthemhappy,andthefamilywouldprosperthroughgoodharvestsandmorechildren.
Today,Chinesevisittheirfamilygravestotendtoanyunderbrushthathasgrown.Weedsarepulled,anddirtsweptaway,andthefamilywillsetoutofferingsoffoodandspiritmoney.Unlikethesacrificesatafamily'shomealtar,theofferingsatthetombusuallyconsistofdry,blandfood.Onetheoryisthatsinceanynumberofghostsromearoundagravearea,thelessappealingfoodwillbeconsumedbytheancestors,andnotbeplunderedbystrangers.
HonoringAncestors
Honoringancestorsbeginswithproperpositioningofagravesiteandcoffin.Expertsinfengshui,orgeomancy,determinethequalityoflandbythesurroundingaspectsofstreams,rivers,trees,hills,andsoforth.Anareathatfacessouth,withgrovesofpinetreescreatesthebestflowofcosmicenergyrequiredtokeepancestorshappy.Unfortunately,nowadays,withChina'sburgeoningpopulation,publiccemetarieshavequicklysurplantedprivategravesites.Familyelderswillvisitthegravesiteatleastonceayeartotendtothetombs.
WhileblandfoodisplacedbythetombsonQingMingJie,theChineseregularlyprovidescrumptiousofferingstotheirancestorsataltartablesintheirhomes.Thefoodusuallyconsistsofchicken,eggs,orotherdishesadeceasedancestorwasfondof.Accompaniedbyrice,thedishesandeatingutensilsarecarefullyarrangedsoastobringgoodluck.Sometimes,afamilywillputburningincensewiththeofferingsoastoexpeditethetransferofnutritiouselementstotheancestors.InsomepartsofChina,thefoodistheneatenbytheentirefamily.
Kites
Besidesthetraditionsofhonoringthedead,peoplealsooftenflykitsonTombSweepingDay.Kitescancomeinallkindsofshapes,sizes,andcolors.Designscouldincludefrogs,dragonflies,butterflies,crabs,bats,andstorks.
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